Jim Rosica
Clergy members, ministers and other “religious organization” employees could legally refuse to perform gay marriages under legislation that will be considered by the full House of Representatives.
The measure, which some call a “Pastor Protection Act” (HB 43), was OK’d 12-5 by the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, its final review panel.
The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Scott Plakon of Longwood, also immunizes those who turn down gay-wedding requests from being sued, and says they can’t be penalized by the withholding of “tax exemptions, governmental contracts, grants, or licenses.”
But Carlos Smith of Equality Florida, the state’s LGBTQ advocacy group, called the bill “needlessly divisive,” saying there are no known cases in which clergy have been sued for refusing to marry gay couples.
Others pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court decision recognizing the validity of same-sex marriages only came out last June.
A long line of ministers spoke about the bill, with those from older mainline religions opposing it and many from smaller evangelical churches strongly in support.
The Rev. Brant Copeland of Tallahassee’s First Presbyterian Church called the bill a “form of bearing false witness against one’s neighbor,” saying it wrongly painted the gay community as “out to get” people of faith.
On the other side, Gilberto Rodriguez, who leads the Temple Elijah Center of Power, Authority and Dominion in Lutz, told lawmakers that even though he has two gay siblings he loves, “someday they will die and will have to decide where they want to spend eternity.”
Peter Vivaldi, who said he represented a coalition of mostly Hispanic churches in Central Florida, said, “We wouldn’t be here if nine justices had not decided what they did last year.” (The decision was 5-4.)
To those who said the bill isn’t needed on top of pastors’ First Amendment rights and other legal protections, state Rep. Matt Hudson disagreed.
“If you can’t support a pastor, who can you support?” said Hudson, a Naples Republican and the House speaker pro tempore. He used a car analogy: “You never hope to have to use your airbag but you’re glad you have one.”
The Senate companion (SB 110) has cleared two of its three review panels and will be heard by the last, the Rules Committee, next Tuesday.
2 comments
Gilberto Rodriguez
February 5, 2016 at 9:44 am
I am for Protecting Pastors and those licensed to solemnize marriages from being obligated to do anything which violates their freedom to exercise their believes according to the rules of their beliefs. I have refused to marry heteral sexual couples because they did not qualify based on biblical grounds and to marry them was to deliver the wrong message that GOD would be joining them. My brother lives with his partner for over 20 years, they not only receive love and warmth from our family, and we communicate truth in love hoping someday they will make an eternal saving decision. We are not biggots we just do care enough to stand for the eternal conviction that the Bible is immovable word of GOD and is the owner’s manual directing us how to live successfully and eternally pleasing the designer. God loves us all, even those who are in hell today… He sends no one to hell, he gives us the choice… He is Holy and cannot change; so if you want to be with him eternally you must through Grace enter the process of Holiness through his Holy Spirit and the precious blood of his son Yeshuah!
Gilberto Rodriguez
February 5, 2016 at 10:05 am
We are not aliens or people whom have decided to just pick a fight against our fellow men and women. We just care enough to stand up for our eternal conviction that the Bible is immovable, infallible, eternal, inherent word of GOD and is the owner’s manual for human creation; which gives us clear and concise instructions on how to live successfully and eternally pleasing the designer. Yes the Bible does contain different laws and customs which were applicable to the condition of man, i.e. (ceremonial laws which are not practiced today because of the completion through Jesus Christ, another marrying your brothers widow = for preservation and insuring she would not be abandoned)… we cannot forget that today the law took a body and consummated and sealing man who surrender with eternity becoming a saving deity (Jesus Christ is the verb (word), the word (Christ) was with God, the word (Christ) is God John 1:1. ) God loves us all, even those who are in hell today… He sends no one to hell, he gives us the choice… He is Holy and cannot change; so if you want to be with him eternally you must through Grace enter the process of Holiness through his Holy Spirit and the precious blood of his son Yeshuah!
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